Take off your hat

It’s amazing how many hats we can fit on our one head. It’s normal for them to feel too flipping heavy sometimes. I’ve been feeling that way lately, like they’re precariously stacked and at any moment will completely tip over and scatter all over the floor.

It dawned on me that it’s because I haven’t had some significant time when I've completely take off some of the hats I wear. Sure, I'm really good about unplugging one day a week, but I'm used to more. Because of Rona, my annual couples trip with John was canceled, and we didn’t get a family vacation. It’s been over a year since either of us completely took off our work hats and unplugged. And I was feeling it.

I felt tired and stale. Uninspired. And like I was going through the motions. That’s a big signal that a break was long overdue. So for a few days I flung my work hats over in the corner. I knew that when I put them back on they’d fit perfectly again and would be miraculously lighter.

During a few days away in the mountains, my parent and wife and healthy human hats were so happy that they had my head all to themselves. And I came back recharged, renewed, recommitted to all I wanted to do in all parts of my life.

I’m challenging you to check in on all your hats. What’s feeling too heavy right now? Are all your hats feeling like the leaning tower of Pisa?

Think about which hats you can take off – even if it's just for a few days. Commit to finishing your work on your August goals and then decide to put your mental, physical and emotional health first. Instead of telling yourself, “I can’t possibly,” say “I’m going to figure out how to make this possible” and then muster all your creative juices and do it.

I promise that the hats you take off aren’t going anywhere, and they’ll fit so much better when you put them back on.